Abbott ducks questions on asylum seeker protocols

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has refused to answer questions about he was briefed before Scott Morrison made controversial comments about asylum seekers on bridging visas needing ''behavioural protocols''.

Coalition frontbenchers have been unable to provide details about what these protocols would mean in practice.

The Coalition's immigration spokesman responded to the charging of an asylum seeker over the sexual assault of a student at a Sydney university campus by calling for ''behavioural protocols'' and monitoring of asylum seekers on bridging visas.

Asked whether Mr Morrison had briefed him on the plan, Mr Abbott on Tuesday repeated his claim that asylum seekers were ''disappearing'' into the community.

He again backed Mr Morrison's call for the government to know where asylum seekers released into the community were living.

Shadow attorney-general George Brandis told Sky News on Tuesday: ''I haven't had a discussion with Mr Morrison about this particular matter.

Advertisement

''And when I do, and when shadow cabinet next meets, no doubt that matter will be addressed. But I'll leave the details of his announcement for him to comment on.''

On the ABC's Q&A program on Monday night, deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop said she believed Mr Morrison was talking about reporting requirements. ''Well, I see it as a reporting requirement,'' she said.

You will now receive updates fromBreaking News Alert

Breaking News Alert

The Immigration Department says asylum seekers living in the community on bridging visas are required to regularly report to the department either in person or by phone, and to provide their residential address to and advise if they move. Centrelink also requires asylum seekers' addresses in order to pay them benefits.

On the same program, Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said the behavioural protocol was a '' code for fear''.

''I'll have a go at what the Libs meant by behaviour protocols; there are votes in bagging asylum seekers; there are votes in saying [they're] a class of people we need to be suspicious about,'' he said.

Asked in Sydney on Tuesday whether Mr Morrison had taken the policy to shadow cabinet, or whether he ''was just freelancing'', shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said: ''Oh, look, I saw that question asked on Q&A last night and frankly, the bottom line here is, I think Australians need to know where people are located.''

Mr Hockey said he was ''not setting out to be critical of Scott Morrison'', and refused to answer specific questions about Mr Morrison's announcement or whether it was taken to shadow cabinet.

He said he was disappointed that the government was refusing to allow asylum seekers released from detention to work while their claims for refugee status were assessed.

''The thing that upsets me most about what has happened with asylum seekers is they're being cast into the community without a right to work. And therefore they're being put onto welfare without any opportunity to get out of it,'' he said.

''And the living conditions are worse than what we as Australians would tolerate and therefore, you know, how can Labor live with itself? At least with our temporary protection visas people had the opportunity to work.''